Examining the relationship between acceptance of diversity and school safety: The roles of peers and teachers in a Canadian context

Attention to diversity in classrooms has become more prominent in recent years. Unfortunately, research shows that diverse students feel relatively unsafe and unprotected in schools compared to their peers. Perceptions of peer and adult acceptance of diversity have been shown to separately associate with school safety. The current study extends existing research by exploring how mediating role of peer acceptance of diversity between adult acceptance of diversity and a sense of school safety among Canadian high-school students. Participants included 233 high-school students in Canada (mean age = 14.76, 34.5% girls) who completed a self-report survey about their perceptions of peer and adult acceptance of diversity and school safety. A just-identified path analysis revealed a significant positive association between adult acceptance of diversity and peer acceptance of diversity (β = .679, p < .001). Perceived school safety was directly and positively associated with both adult acceptance of diversity (β = .338, p < .001) and peer acceptance of diversity (β = .303, p < .001). There was also a significant indirect association between adult acceptance of diversity and a sense of school safety via peer acceptance of diversity, 95% CI [.111, .310]. These findings emphasize the critical role that adults have on students’ perceptions of diversity and safety in the school context.